Clematis plant named &#39;Evipo042&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, purple flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation commercial glasshouse and nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Genus: Clematis

Species: viticella

Variety Denomination: ‘Evipo042’

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 1995 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands. The new variety named ‘Evipo042’ originatedas a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentprimarily by growth habit. The female seed parent is less compact thanthe new variety.

The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its male pollen parentby flower color. The new variety is purple, while the male pollen parentis pink.

The objective of the hybridization of this clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for glasshouse and nursery culture withunique qualities such as:

1. Uniform and abundant purple flowers;

2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable forcontainer culture; and

3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo042’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 1996. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo042’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 1996. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo042’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type:

FIG. 1. Flower at various stages of opening, and sepals detached;

FIG. 2. Open flower; and

FIG. 3. Stems and leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo042’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in open air containerproduction in Yamhill County Oregon. Observed plants were cultivated fora period of 24 months in 1 gallon containers. Certain phenotypicalcharacteristics of the variety may vary under different environmental,cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color referencesare made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) ColourChart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the clematisvariety Evipo024 described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,156are compared to ‘Evipo042’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo042’ Evipo024 Flower diameter 170 mm 90 to 130 mm Tepalupper Purple Group N79A with RHS N79D of the Purple surface, uponintonations of Purple Color Group opening Group N78A Color of anthersViolet Blue Group N92A Yellow Group 2D with Red Purple Group 72Alongitudinal bar

-   Flower and flower bud:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous. The natural flowering period is            generally from early May to September.        -   Flower bud.—Size: Normally 40 mm in length. Bud diameter is            12 mm. Bud form: Elliptical with a broad base. Bud color:            Yellow-Green Group 148C with intonations of Greyed-Purple            Group 187A towards the apex. Texture: Very pubescent.        -   Pedicel.—Surface: Smooth and very pubescent. Length: 50 to            60 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 147C with intonations of            Greyed-Purple Group N186C and Greyed-Purple Group 183A.            Strength: Strong.        -   Receptacle.—Surface Texture: Very pubescent. Shape: Funnel.            Size: 2 mm (h)×5 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group 147C with            intonations of Greyed-Purple Group N186C and Greyed-Purple            Group 183A.        -   Flower arrangement.—Location on vine: New and old growth.            Borne: Singly.        -   Flower bloom.—Size: On average, flowers are 170 mm in            diameter and 25 mm in depth. Profile: Open flowers are broad            funnel when viewed from the side. The upper portion is flat,            lower portion is convex. Fragrance: None. Lasting Quality:            Flowers normally remain 7 to 10 days on the plant. As a cut            flower, flowers normally last 3 to 4 days.        -   Tepals.—Tepal Color: Upon opening, the upper surface is            Purple Group N79A with intonations of Purple Group N78A. The            lower surface is Purple Group 76A with Purple Group N79A at            margins. There is a central bar the color of Greyed-Green            Group 195B on the lower surface. After opening, the upper            surface is Violet Group 83A at margins and Purple-Violet            Group N80B at the mid-section. The lower surface is Purple            Group 76A with Purple Group N79A at margins. There is a            central bar the color of Greyed-Green Group 195B on the            lower surface. Quantity: Normally 7 tepals. Size: 85 mm in            length by 45 mm wide. Shape: Individual tepal shape is            elliptical. The tepal apex is acute. The tepal base acute.            Apex Recurvature: Slightly recurved. Tepal Cross section:            Slightly reflexed. Margins: Entire. Moderate undulations of            margin observed. Persistence: Tepals drop off cleanly.        -   Reproductive organs.—Arrangement: Moderately open. Pollen:            None observed. Anthers: Size: 5 mm in length. Color: Violet            Blue Group N92A. Quantity: 75 on average. Filaments: Color:            Red-Purple Group N74C. Length: 7 mm. Pistils: Quantity: 65            on average. Stigmas: Inferior in location relative to the            length of the filaments and the height of the anthers.            Styles: Color: White Group 155B. Length: 10 mm.        -   Seed head characteristics.—None observed.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant form.—Climbing.        -   Plant growth.—Moderately vigorous and very compact.        -   Size.—Seasons growth attains 80 cm to 1 meter in height.            Average spread is 45 cm.        -   Hardiness.—Trials to date show the variety hardy in USDA            Zones 6.        -   Stems.—Color: Juvenile stems are generally Yellow-Green            Group 146B. Other intonations observed are strong            intonations of Greyed-Orange Group 177A. Mature stems are            Greyed-Red Group 178A. Internodes: 7 to 10 cm between nodes.            Length: Normally 30 cm from the base of the plant to the            flowering portion of the stem. Diameter: Normally 4 mm.            Surface: Mature stems are smooth with ribs parallel to the            stem.        -   Plant foliage.—Leaf characteristics: Deciduous. Arrangement:            3 to 5 leaflets. Leaf Size: Compound leaves are normally 180            mm (l)×180 mm (w). Leaflets are normally 85 mm (l)×40 mm            (w). Abundance: Generally, there are 2 leaves per 10 cm of            stem. Leaf Color: The upper surfaces of mature leaflets are            Yellow-Green Group 147A while the lower surfaces are            Yellow-Green Group 147C. Upper surfaces of juvenile leaflets            are are Yellow-Green Group 146B while the lower surfaces are            Yellow-Green Group 146C. Stipules: Absent. Petioles: Size:            Normally 55 to 65 mm in length by 1.5 mm diameter. Texture:            Smooth and pubescent. Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B with            strong intonations of Brown Group 200B. Petioloule: Size:            Normally 30 mm in length by 1.5 mm diameter. Texture: Smooth            and pubescent. Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B with strong            intonations of Brown Group 200B. Leaflet Shape: Generally            elliptic. The base is oblique and rounded. The apex is            acute. Margin: Entire. Surface: The upper side is smooth.            The lower side is smooth. Thickness: Moderate. Glossiness:            Moderately glossy. Disease resistance: Subject to any            disease that normally attacks the species. However the            variety is more tolerant to clematis wilt than some            clematis.

1. A new and distinct variety of clematis plant named ‘Evipo042’,substantially as described and illustrated, due to its abundant purpleflowers with good keepability, attractive foliage, compact growth,suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, durableflowers and foliage, which make the variety suitable for distribution inthe floral industry.